1,000 Indian Recipes (195 page)

Punjabi Green Mung Beans with Sizzling Ginger

Punjabi Saabut Mung Dal

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Indians, especially the Punjabis, love the sharp bite of fresh ginger. They add it to dishes on the spur-of-the-moment dictates of their palate—raw or cooked, in large chunks or in smaller pieces, cut long and thin, minced or ground, and sometimes a little of each. If you like ginger, this is your dish.

1 cup green mung beans (saabut mung dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

4
¹
⁄
₂
to 5 cups water

2 nickel-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon peeled and minced (or ground) fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1small onion, finely chopped

1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon paprika

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Place the dal, water, ginger slices, minced or ground ginger, green chile peppers, salt, turmeric, and red pepper flakes in a pressure cooker. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid and stir the dal; it should be very soft and creamy. If not, simmer over medium heat until done. Remove to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm.

2.
Heat the oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium heat and cook the ginger matchsticks until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.

3.
Stir in the coriander, cumin, and paprika, then transfer to the dal and swirl lightly, with bits of it visible as a garnish. Sprinkle the garam masala on top and serve.

Lentils (
Masoor Dal
)

Dry-Cooked Red Lentils with Cumin Seeds

Sookhi Dhulli Masoor Dal

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This lentil dish, more like a rice pilaf than a soup, is made with pre-soaked whole red lentils (split red ones are fine, too). For a vivid color presentation, I throw in some beets, but avoid turmeric (which is usually a must in
dal
dishes), because it colors everything yellow.

Serve with a soft-cooked vegetable side dish, such as a
bhartha
(see
Mashed Fire-Roasted Eggplant
,
Creamy Mashed Eggplant with Peas
,
Mashed Eggplant with Mustard Seeds
, and
Easy Mashed Spicy Eggplant and Potatoes
), or a squash, such as
Quick Spicy Opo Squash
, or present it atop lettuce leaves as a salad.

1 cup red lentils (dhulli masoor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

2 cups water

¹
⁄
₄
cup cooked and minced fresh or drained canned beets

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 to 5 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol

1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons cumin seeds

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped cilantro, including soft stems

1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice

4 scallions, finely sliced

1.
Place the dal, water, and beets in a bowl and allow to soak about 2 hours or longer.

2.
Heat the oil in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the red chile peppers until golden, about 1 minute. (Stand away from the pan, in case they burst.) Add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the ginger and stir, about 1 minute.

3.
Add the coriander, cumin, garam masala, and then mix in the dal plus all the water, and the salt, and cook over high heat until the water evaporates and the dal is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir a few times with a fork just to fluff it, taking care not to break the dal.

4.
With a fork, gently mix in the cilantro and lime juice, cover the pan, and set over low heat about 2 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish, lightly mix in the scallions, and serve.

Red Lentils with Bengali 5-Spices

Bengali Dhulli Masoor Dal

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Bengali 5-Spices (
Panch-Phoran
), is a blend of 5 seeds—black mustard, cumin, fenugreek, kalonji, and fennel. They are sizzled in hot oil so the seeds release their true flavors and make the foods very fragrant. This is the standard Bengali seasoning. Make the
blend
or buy it from an Indian market.

1 tablespoon
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

2 teaspoons
Bengali 5-Spices (Panch-Phoran)
or store-bought

1 cup red lentils (dhulli masoor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

4
¹
⁄
₂
cups water

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

³
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground paprika or cayenne pepper

1 to 2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons mustard or peanut oil

4 to 6 whole dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste and the 5-spices mixture. Then, place the dal, water, turmeric, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the dal, stirring occasionally and watching carefully that it doesn't boil over, about 10 minutes.